Sunday, March 4, 2007

He's no historian, He's no teacher... He Is RISEN!

Shalom Brothers & Sisters,

I've been in conversation with someone lately who has been asking me questions about our Lord Jesus Christ... I believe in exalting Jesus and preaching the Word from the Gospels itself. The Good News is really the Good News and there's no need for me to make any comparisons with any other books. So, below i am just fielding some of his questions. There's nothing sensitive in this email, so i thought this might help somebody else out there.

Praise the Lord. He IS the GOOD Shepherd.

Amen & Hallelujah!

'Hi Brother,

I believe all your years in a religious school has given you some solid ground in theology and the concept of God... Right now, let's approach God as our friend. I'm not too sure whether you are able to do this right now, but that's the first step anyway. We are all lost sheep. And we need a Shepherd... So Jesus is our Good Shepherd. I'd also like to express myself again, that what i believe in now is not a religion. Because religiosity binds but spirituality sets you free.What we have now is a renewed relationship with our Abba Father and it's so glorious to know that we can approach God anytime, anywhere and know that our prayers will always be received in it's total wholeness and perfected prayer through our Lord Jesus Christ.

From your comment that the bible has so many versions. Yes, that is true. That's to help mankind understand God. Our God is so good he does not require us to learn the Hebrew language (Old Testament Books:Torah, Nevi'Im & Kh'Tuvim) and the Greek language (New Testament Books, Evangelion) to know Him. HE has kept His WORD true to its substance in all the versions of the Bible that's available for all Mankind and translated into thousands of languages for the world to know their God.

With regards to your assessment about the bible and it's many versions and why you think it's inaccurate and flawed, i have something for you to consider...

Take yourself as a judge in a courtroom. You have a case presented to you. To have a fair trial and true judgment on your part as a judge; would you just look at the prosecution alone? or look at the defense alone? or do you have to look at evidence presented by both parties, have an impartial decision made, based on the evidence presented, to give a fair judgement. I believe you need to use the last approach to be a good judge. So, have you looked at both sides of the coin yet? Many of us fear the obvious... Just a little info for you. The Old Testament is written in Hebrew and until today you still can find the Hebrew Old Testament in its original entirety, in it's same perfect form dated all the way back to the times of Moses. These are the books that the Jewish people still use for their Jewish faith.The Dead Sea Scrolls have proven that the Old Testament we read today is the same as the one that Jesus used during His time. God is so good, He uses His own words to teach us. He gives us revelation of His words each time we read it and hear it. And during Jesus' time, He was fulfilling bible prophecy written hundreds and thousands of years before He came. So, what about the New Testament? During Jesus' time, the people in Judea, Israel spoke a few common languages. Primarily Koine Greek, Aramaic, Hebrew. Just like us in Singapore, we speak primarily English, Mandarin, Malay and Tamil. So, the most commonly used language in Singapore now is English. So, most media is either written or broadcasted in English. So, during His time, the Greek language was commonly used and therefore most of the communication during His time was written in Greek. And the primary version that we have now is from the Textus Receptus. There are many good Christian books out there that will help you answer this question. Obviously if you walk into a "preferred" bookstore you'll not be able to get this information. So, as i mentioned earlier on... What would a good judge do? Would you allow an innocent man to go into the gallows? or would you let a criminal walk back out amongst the innocent? I'm sure you'll do what's right... Check out this book by Lee Strobel: The Case for Christ.

So far, your approach to God has been pretty intellectual. Use your heart brother... In your daily practice now, do you feel loved by God? Do you know that God loves you so much? Do you know that Jesus loves you so much? Yes you! Not the collective world but YOU. We tend to generalise God. We can say, "Yeah... God loves all of us." But can we say, "Yes! GOD LOVES ME!" Are you in love with God? But do you know that He loved you first from the beginning of time until the time we see Him in Heaven eternally? Do you believe you are in a position where you can ask God for anything and He'll give it to you because He loves you so much? Do you know that you are assured a place in Heaven? John14:2 says,

John 14:2 In My Father's house are many mansions; if it were not so , I would have told you. I go to prepare a place for you.

What we must appreciate is, who is doing the talking here? Is it John the disciple?.. is it another rabbi?.. it it any other man on the street? No. It's Jesus Himself! God Himself was talking to us. How beautiful and endearing the thought that my God is so good He does such a thing for me... : )

I love Him so much... But that doesn't beat His love for me...

With your reference to I-Robot, it is very interesting to note that the author of I-Robot, Isaac Asimov is actually an atheist. He does not believe in God. Not like you and me... A person who has not encountered God will always feel that He is a distant force, set apart all else. Do you believe that God is omnipresent? Is He beside you now? Do you know that God walked with Abraham, God walked with Enoch and many other beloved people of God. He is there with you now. But the awesome truth now is, because of what Jesus has done for us, God is now IN us and we are now IN Christ. Meaning we are constantly IN God's presence. This is the personality of the Holy Spirit. : ) Holy Spirit is GOD IN us. Maybe you're uncomfortable with the terminology of Holy Spirit. Let me give you the Hebrew equivalent, the Holy Spirit is actually Ruach HaKhodhesh. The living breath of God in us. How did God make the first man Adam?

Genesis 2:7 Then the LORD God formed man of the dust of the ground, and breathed into his nostrils the breath of life; and man became a living soul.

He is in us. This is true. But to know Him in us, we must first know Jesus. Because after Jesus was crucified and resurrected, He gave us the Holy Spirit as our Comforter.

John 14:26 But the Comforter, the Holy Spirit whom the Father will send in My name, He shall teach you all things and bring all things to your remembrance, whatever I have said to you.

John 14:27 Peace I leave with you, My peace I give to you. Not as the world gives do I give to you. Let not your heart be troubled, neither let it be afraid.

Once you have come to know who Yeshua HaMashiach (Jesus the Messiah) is, then will you come to know the Comforter. He teaches you all things, bring all things to remembrance of our original position with God that weareHisbeloved children and not His servant. You will also get the Peace not as the world gives you but the Peace that God can give in your soul, your spirit, your mind and your body. After knowing this, what is there to fear? So, let not your heart be troubled, neither let it be afraid. Jesus is no longer a teacher for me. HE is My Lord and my Saviour! HE IS the Prince of Peace, "Sar Shalom" in Hebrew. No one in this world can give you the peace that you are looking for accept Yeshua Hamashiach.

Last of all, you mentioned that God should be really perfect, a 100% perfect. Well, He IS perfection! More than 100%! He IS perfection itself! The beginning and the end, HE is the Alpha and Omega! How does this perfection come to fruition? It will have to be the finished work of the cross... His undying love for us, led Himself (Jesus Christ) to the cross, being beaten, scourged, whipped to His bones, His Perfect Blood being spilt and finally finished at the Cross of Calvary... and for what? To be the final sacrifice(korban), the perfect sin offering so that no more such sacrifices(ie. animal) need to be done anymore for the Eternal Remission of our sins, past, present, future, forever... and for the total healing of our body, mind and soul, today and forever!

I have to say this right now... HALLELUJAH! - Praise to ye YHVH! (That's what it means in Hebrew.)

And why do i celebrate? Because He is Risen!

Finally, i know all of us seek The Truth. But what defines Truth?

TRUTH is ETERNAL, Fact is temporal.

The world was once known to be flat and taken as fact. But now we obviously know it's round!

So my brother, walk in truth. Seek the God that gives you Truth. And the fruits of this Truth is Peace not as this world can give, Love that you have lost but now have been found and Joy everlasting that people of this world will think you're crazy to be this happy all the time!...

1 comment:

Hi there! I would like to know more about Malays who have converted to Christianity. It's for a school project as well as personal interest in this issue. Would you contact me at crystania13@hotmail.com? Thanks!

the sheep young & old

Need only 1 Shepherd, it's Jesus

For His Glory, His Kingdom and The Coming King.

This blog will serve as a beacon of hope for all my malay brethren out there who are searching and need some assurance that God is there for you, God loved you first before we loved Him and the assurance of our place in Heaven.
John 14:1-4A prepared Mansion for you
1 “Let not your heart be troubled; you believe in God, believe also in Me. 2 In My Father’s house are many mansions; if it were not so, I would have told you. I go to prepare a place for you. 3 And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again and receive you to Myself; that where I am, there you may be also. 4 And where I go you know, and the way you know.”
The promise is eternal. We ARE assured of our place in Heaven.
Come to The Way, The Truth and The Life.
John 14:6
Jesus said to him, “I am the way, the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through Me."
My testimony to share: http://1flock1shepherd.blogspot.com/2007/02/one-flock-one-shepherd.html

Mark 4:39, "Shalom! Be still!"

And the wind ceased, and there was a great calm.

Fulfillment of Prophecy till the return of The Prince of Peace.

Ezekiel 44:1 Then he brought me back the way of the gate of the outward sanctuary which looketh toward the east; and it was shut. And our Lord shall return, Ezekiel 44:3 It is for the prince; the prince, he shall sit in it to eat bread before the LORD; he shall enter by the way of the porch of that gate, and shall go out by the way of the same.